HOMILY at the SOLEMN MIDNIGHT MASS of the NATIVITY of the LORD (C) 2018 2018 has been a very turbulent year once again, and as we begin to look towards 2019 there is no promise that politically at least it will be any different. So during the past months, along with the rest of the world, I have watched so many negotiations…

HOMILY at the MASS of the DAY for CHRISTMAS (C) 2018 When did you last meet an angel or hear an angel’s voice? I know that these days priests are supposed to be witty at Christmas, but actually this is a serious question and maybe we could spend a few minutes thinking quietly about the answer. But then there might be a…

HOMILY at the MASS of the DAWN of CHRISTMAS (C) 2018 I read in this week’s Church Times that a recent Twitter poll has revealed the most contentious Christmas Carols. Contentious, that is, on the grounds of theology or probability. And the winner is ….. (as they persist in saying) Away in a manger. The Carol that I too would have nominated. …

HOMILY at the MASSES for the FOURTH SUNDAY of ADVENT (C) 2018 The Fourth Sunday of Advent now always focusses our attention upon the figure of Our Lady, Mary the Mother of Jesus and so for a few brief moments this morning we think of her. The great Swiss Protestant theologian, Karl Barth, used on Sundays in later life to listen to…

HOMILY at the 10h30 MASS for the THIRD SUNDAY of ADVENT (C) 2018 I rather suppose that John the Baptist must have been a little bit of a disappointment to his parents. After all, they had waited a long time for his birth and Zachary his father might well have expected John to follow him into the service of the Temple. But…

HOMILY at the 9h and 10h30 MASSES for ADVENT SUNDAY (C) 2018 A new beginning once again this morning. Another new Church year comes with Advent Sunday. And before we consider the theme of today’s Eucharist, it might be good to ask ourselves just why it is that we keep these liturgical seasons? So what is Advent about? It began life as…

HOMILY at the 10h30 SOLEMN MASS for the FIFTH SUNDAY after TRINITY (B) 2018 I did not expect to be here today. And by here I mean in this pulpit. Because last year, when I first began to plan this event, I had hoped that there might have been a good number of us priests who trained together at Mirfield, here together.…

HOMILY at the MASSES for the SIXTH SUNDAY of EASTER (B) 2018 Joy is one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and in the passage of S. John’s Gospel which we have just heard for today, Jesus expresses the wish that his own joy may be in his disciples and that their joy be complete. And whilst joy is sometimes confused…

HOMILY at the 9h and 10h30 MASSES for the SEVENTH SUNDAY of EASTER (B) 2018 Today, in these days when we pray for the gift of the Holy Spirit the communicator of truth, today – in part of the Church at least – is Communications Sunday. The initiative for this came from the Roman Catholic Church during the pontificate of Pope Paul…